I need advice...and lots of it

[FrankTCN]

I thank anyone in advance who offers some help. I don't know if it will make any difference in the advice or not, but I train under Shaolin-do. I'm a yellow belt, which is just the 2nd belt attainable (Don't really know how familiar anyone is with my style) I have a tournament in about a month coming up, I intend to compete in both sparring and katas. Now, I need any advice on things like how to improve my sparring, increase my chances of victory, what to eat before and during the tournament, stuff like that. I also could use any advice from anyone who knows anything about bone fractures. My dominant hand was fracuted a couple months ago, and it's still not fully healed. It should be fine by the time the tournament comes around, but if anyone knows a way to help it with healing, please share. Thanks again, hope you fine folks can help me grow as a martial artist.

[doc]

A couple of months ago could mean two months, or five. And the location of the fracture is important, as well as what the radiological evidence demonstrates as to the extent of healing. Whether you should actually be sparring in a month is really up to your physician, as only he can truly tell if that hand is healed well enough for you to be banging it around on someone else's head. The long and the short of it is, if it still hurts, I'd advise against it. As for it "not being fully healed", I would probably think that you're still having pain. A second injury in a noncompletely healed fracture line could potentially lead to what's called a "nonunion", that is, the fracture does not fully calcify, and the fracture site remains slightly mobile, thus leading to a condition of chronic pain in the area. A nonunion in the wrist or in the metacarpals could lead to a painful condition for a few years. A poorly healed fracture within a joint will lead to early arthritis. You must be careful with these things, and let nature take its course. Good nutrition, adequate vitamin intake, adequate zinc sulfate intake, and, of course, calcium and magnesium, should lead to normal healing. The time frame depends upon the extend of the injury, and the separation distance of the healing bone fragments, as well as the degree of immobilization. Just remember, fracture segments that do not remain immobile do not heal well. Nor do fracture sites that get traumatized again.

And sparring at yellow belt? I'm against that whole concept. But, what do I know. But I will say this. Don't worry about increasing your chances of victory. Victory in sparring doesn't matter; in my opinion, it means little. What's important is that you learn the art well.

[FrankTCN]

The fracture is on my right hand, along the ride side just above my wrist. Due to the nature of it, I have retained full mobility of my hand, although the amount of pressure and force on my hand has been very limited. It only causes pain if there is direct pressure put on the fracture now (someone shaking my hand too firmly for instance). I have found that I can do most activities with my hand now without pain, there are only a few limitations, and the amount of pain in those activities are reduced (once again, shaking a hand firmly, or trying to do a push-up). Some things now no longer bother me whatsoever, including punching, however I still take it pretty easy on that so as to not put myself at any stupid risk. All this is what I mean by not being fully healed, it's made a lot of progress but I still have a couple of limitations, but they are getting smaller.

When it comes to practicing Shaolin, I am more focused on developing my skill and learning the art than I am on actually sparring. However, sparring is a very envigorating form of practice and it helps me to grasp the movements of the katas and other forms. It seems to help me have an understanding of WHY I need to know these things. I am concerned about victory because I have to go out of town to enter the tournament, and there is a 50 dollar registration fee. I really want to participate, to test myself against other students on my level. Winning would not mean as much, if I wasn't a poor college student who doesn't want to spend 50 dollars unless he wins. Perhaps that is a shallow viewpoint, but I really am in my infancy in the art itself.

Could you explain why you are against sparring at yellow belt? I can understand that one would think it would be dangerous, novices sparring and putting each other at a risk, or perhaps it becoming more prominent in the eyes of a student than actually learning the forms and the art. I'm really intersted to hear your viewpoint, if you don't mind sharing.

[daodejing]

Well just to be an ass and speak for Doc here even though I have no right too, I think his objection to novice students sparring in competition lies in the idea that only advanced students should be allowed to spar in training (for the safety of all involved) much less competition.

However, I think I'll have to clarify something. When you say sparring, what are the rules regarding protective gear? Are we talking barehanded with a cup and a mouthpiece? Or are there gloves, headgear, etc.?

But too simply offer you my usually useless opinion, here we go. Personally, I say wait, don't compete in this tournament unless you're certain your completely healthy and trained enough for the competition. There will be plenty more tournaments. If you're still recovering from a fractured hand, make sure you recover completely, take the right vitamin/mineral supplements, eat well, and dont overtrain. If you want to spar, try sparring with your fellow students, or even ask your sifu to teach some more sparring techniques and then let you try them in freeplay.

No sense risking a second break of your hand if its not 100% by tournament time. Its not worth risking a potentially chronic lifelong injury for a competition. Trust me, I used to compete alot. My knees are only just recovering in the past four years (I havent competed since USJA nationals in 97). But seriously, you should be doing lots of sparring with your fellow students before you think about competing. There will always be tournaments, just wait till you're certain that you're ready to compete in them.

Until then, you can spend $50 on one weekend of competition, or spend it on two weekends worth of beer and pizza. Ah college I knew ye well..........

[FrankTCN]

Sparring for training is incorporated in my class quite heavily, we usually spend at least 10 minutes each class sparring, sometimes half an hour or more. When in class, we use a mouthpiece, cup, hand/forearm guards, as well as shin/instep guards. We begin sparring as early as white belt, just amongst classmates. It may not be the same sort of sparring that most of you would be familiar with, we keep it fairly light as to not harm each other, it's not full out at any time. We do get a little more into it when we are in our full protective gear, but still nobody is going 100% or trying to hurt any others (of course, some break this rule, and find themselves not very favored in the class).

From the beginning we are taught only to use what we are able to control, no wild kicks, no crazy techniques that we haven't had a firm grip on (Not that we have mastered anything so early, but it's a lot easier to control what isn't full force). I have been sparring for about as long as I have been studying Shaolin-do. I am trained enough to control myself and not endanger anyone. I don't know if I'm ready for a tournament, but that is why I will be training harder in the next month. I will heed the advice though, if my hand isn't ready, I won't enter. As you said, there is no sense in risking another injury. Now as far as proper vitamin/mineral supplements...what exactly would be proper? I take none, but I have been interested, I'm only held back by my ignorance of the subject.

Thanks for your take on all of this daodejing, it's appreciated. Anymore helpful information is gladly welcome, opinions too. Same for you Doc, I appreciate you taking the time to post, and hope you still explain your viewpoint. Might come in handy for me.

[doc]

Well, it sounds like your injury is not fully healed. Fully healed fractures do not cause pain when axial compression is applied (doing pushups). And from your description, I can't tell if it was fractured in the area of the proximal metacarpals, or one of the carpal (wrist) bones. If it is one of the wrist bones, you really have to be careful with it until it fully heals. Nonunion in a carpal bone can cause a lot of future chronic discomfort; at that point, surgery is sometimes the only resource available to make it heal correctly.

But, only your physician, armed with recent radiological evidence, can make the call as to how "healed" the fracture site is. Your best bet is to consult with him, before you risk doing yourself further harm. From what you're telling me, pain with use of the hand signifies an uncompletely healed fracture site; therefore, more rest and more time for healing is in order.

As to the sparring issue, I'll start a new thread. No doubt it's going to cause some consternation in the community, lol. As if I don't cause enough trouble.